Wendy Yu
About Wendy Yu
Wendy Yu, 49, has served as an independent director of Niagen Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: NAGE) since August 2017. She is Chief Digital Officer at Horizons Digital Group Limited (affiliate of Horizons Ventures) since 2012 and holds a Commerce and Psychology degree from the University of Toronto . Yu was nominated to the NAGE Board by Pioneer Step Holdings Limited under director designation rights in the April 2017 Securities Purchase Agreement; the Board affirms her independence under Nasdaq listing standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niagen Bioscience, Inc. (NAGE) | Director | Aug 2017–Present | Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (since Mar 2018) |
| Horizons Digital Group Limited (affiliate of Horizons Ventures) | Chief Digital Officer | 2012–Present | Oversees Asia expansion of portfolio companies; PR, communications, marketing, events |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizons Digital Group Limited | Chief Digital Officer | 2012–Present | Affiliate of Horizons Ventures (Hong Kong-based investment firm) |
No other current public company directorships for Wendy Yu are disclosed in the proxy .
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Wendy Yu is independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (3 meetings in FY2024) .
- Attendance: The Board met 4 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; five directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Shareholder support: Re‑elected at the June 24, 2025 annual meeting with 55,228,815 For vs. 887,747 Withheld; broker non‑votes 9,590,210 .
- Board structure: Affiliated Chair (Frank Jaksch, Jr.) with a Lead Independent Director (Steven Rubin) overseeing executive sessions .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Detail | FY2024 Amount (Yu) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $40,000 for non‑employee directors | $40,000 |
| Committee membership fee | Nominating & Corporate Governance (non‑chair): $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Chair/Lead Independent Director premium | $30,000 additional for Chair or LID (not applicable to Yu) | — |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | — |
| Total cash fees | Sum of retainer + committee fees | $45,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Date | Instrument | Number of Options | Exercise Price | Vesting | FY2024 FV ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/20/2024 | Stock Options | 20,000 | $2.71 | 100% vest on first anniversary of grant | $36,319 |
Outstanding director equity (as of 12/31/2024):
| Instrument | Outstanding (Yu) |
|---|---|
| Options outstanding | 180,000 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship | Governance Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Step Holdings Limited | Nominated Yu to the Board under April 2017 SPA rights | Major shareholder group led by Solina Chau; designation rights signal shareholder representation |
| A.S. Watson Retail (HK) Limited | Historical related-party customer via Li Ka Shing’s ownership; ceased to be related party on Aug 20, 2024 | Company sold ~$8.7M to Watson Jan 1–Aug 20, 2024; Audit Committee oversight per policy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Marketing and communications leadership, Asia expansion expertise through Horizons Digital Group .
- Academic background in Commerce and Psychology (University of Toronto) .
- Governance focus via Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee membership .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Shares Subject to Options Exercisable within 60 Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wendy Yu | 180,000 | <1% (based on 78,684,309 shares outstanding) | 180,000 |
Stock ownership guidelines:
- Directors: Two times annual base retainer; Board and current directors are in compliance or within deadlines .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with shareholder support (55.2M For votes in 2025) .
- Clear marketing/communications expertise aligned with consumer brand strategy; active on Nominating & Corporate Governance .
- Adherence to stock ownership guidelines; Board maintains Code of Conduct and governance guidelines .
-
Considerations:
- Shareholder nominee seat: Yu’s nomination by Pioneer Step signals representation of a major shareholder’s interests; monitor for potential conflicts in decisions affecting that holder’s rights or related transactions (though Board affirms independence) .
- Historical related-party exposure: Significant sales to Watson while related; now ceased as related party post Aug 20, 2024; continued commercial relationship under Audit Committee oversight .
-
RED FLAGS:
- None disclosed for Wendy Yu regarding legal proceedings, family relationships, pledging/hedging, or attendance deficiencies .
Say‑on‑pay and equity plan approvals (signals of investor sentiment): 2025 say‑on‑pay passed (54.9M For); ESPP approved (55.7M For); 2017 Plan share increase approved (53.0M For) .